#this is a space for more adult nuanced conversation

[wings-of-fire-confessions]

i'm really just sending this in to get a look at the responses and see if there are a few lurkers who agree with me or if i just shouldn't even try to engage with this fandom much longer (at least in the more "controversial" spaces)

i understand that it's partly because this fandom skews younger than others i've been a part of. many of the people interacting with it are kids, and im not really talking about them. but, looking at the older teens and adults, i want to take a moment to complain, really, that this community is maybe the most 'scared of being wrong' community ive ever been in. everyone in this fandom, it seems, is absolutely terrified of having a take that might be seen as weird or off-putting or, god forbid, problematic. and it isn't just for themselves! people in this fandom will turn that same insecurity on other people, like they're trying to keep some kind of Moral Purity. it's kind of weird, honestly.

this is the worst in shipping, to no one's surprise. honestly guys, in any other fandom, starflight x sunny would not be seen as a "problematic" ship. but ive seen actual people with their whole chests claim that it's "basically incest" (1. it's not, and 2. who cares, but you guys aren't ready for that conversation). you cant even mention glorybringer without someone chiming in with "erm sorry but that's canon pedophilia since the author made an age calculation mistake once :/ and you dont like pedophilia right? right?" not to even mention some of the more nuanced examples. it's a little obnoxious. if you guys saw the popular ships in other fandoms you'd puke. (obviously it's ok to not like a ship, but it's not ok to ascribe morality to someone over their preferences.)

this is apparent in the whole fandom though. honestly this blog has given some pretty good examples. people *love* any chance they can get to see an anon confession and get to spam in the notes how gross and problematic they are. it's a weird virtue signaling thing. again, it's all about that moral purity.

i'm not saying anyone can just say anything without backlash. there have been confessions here that are genuinely bad takes. and obviously it's all a matter of opinion and people can comment whatever they want. but as someone who's been in messy fandoms for all my life, it's just kind of odd to me to see how torn up you guys are about things that honestly don't matter and aren't your business. maybe it's the proshipper in me but sometimes you just need to step back and say 'this is a fictional book series about dragons'

sorry to be so negative. i promise, there are things in this community i absolutely love!! but this has been getting on my nerves more and more as time goes on. i want to see who's on my side, basically, and who's about to call me a groomer or some shit.

.

[sharksarewaterdogs]

Codywan Dad!Obi Tatooine Fam Clone Rebellion/Death Star Come Early Au

(I actually lost all my notes & wips on this one 😭 Jotting down from memory here)

The Death Star finishes like 10 years early. Mainly bc I watched the Obi-Wan show & wanted Uncle!Obi raising bb!Leia

Bail is in Leia's role in ANH, only he is executed after being forced to watch Alderaan destroyed. Leia stowed away on his ship & was also captured but is held prisoner after witnessing this

Obi-Wan manages to break into the Death Star & rescue her, in this 'verse making it out alive with her. Owen & Beru *also* survive, & he has them flee Tatooine with Luke, and takes Leia to meet up with them on—idk??? Somewhere. Just a rando stopping point, bc they lowkey become like space pirates for a while

Ok not really *pirates* but maybe more like Robin Hood? Or travellers who do odd jobs, or... idk

Basically the idea is they're gonna be living on a spaceship for the next year so however that comes about 👍

We get some tension btwn Owen & Obi-Wan. Like, reluctant brother bonding. They shared a brother—Owen never knew Anakin, but he knew Shmi, and she spoke about him so much Owen grew fond of him as well. As far as he knows, the Jedi, of which Obi-Wan is the face, are responsible for spiriting away a young boy with promises of escape from harsh circumstances and instead exploited him & got him killed.

This is not a Jedi hate fic, but Owen is biased against them. He's also very much got judgmental quiet middle child vibes.

It's also gonna play into how Obi-Wan feels about his Jedi culture. He's got a lot going on with every thing that's happened, and denial/shoving it down can only last so long.

Beru is a bamf, obviously. She also has a more nuanced view on Obi-Wan—or rather, she doesn't let hurt and resentment cloud her view on him, bc Owen *does* understand more of the nuanced view, he just denies it to himself bc he's hurt & worried for his family.

Beru draws Obi-Wan subtly more into the family dynamic, basically like oh I see him brooding on the edges probably thinks he can slip away on us again haha right "oh hey I *really* need you to help make the [Star Wars varient of mashed potatoes] 🥰"

Beautiful manipulative bamf. Honestly, she's the one carrying the braincells—Obi-Wan is reeling from the trauma of opening himself to the Force for the first time in a decade only to be hit with the screaming slaughter of Alderaan (another genocide from Anakin's hands), Owen is being a grumpy (stressed) fuss over the babies. She's got the coolest head on her shoulders.

(Codywan is coming we're establishing the FAMILY first; Clone Fam in part 2)

Beru immediately adopts Leia as well. Owen is a little wary but also that is a Baby she has Trauma he is grabbing the biggest fluffiest blanket for her already

Luke & Leia are in a weird position of being like cousins but also siblings, bc of the whole being raised apart thing & Leia kind of trauma bonded to Obi-Wan as her parental figure after everything, but they click immediately.

Luke thought of Obi-Wan as "that weird hermit Uncle Owen doesn't really like" and now is lowkey picking up on the Lore

Esp since the twins are terrible about eavesdropping on Serious Adult Conversations. Obi-Wan catches Owen & Beru up on what happened & they decide to avoid settling anywhere for a bit but instead hop around space in the Outer Rim to avoid detection

Obi-Wan intends to slip away actually & try to somehow destroy the Death Star (oh god just give Leia ALL the attachment issues), but at the first port they hit they're met with absolute shock—

The Emperor and Vader have been assassinated. The Clone troopers have taken charge of the galaxy.

[cancerian-woman]

the older i get, the more i question why they wrote elena like that. it’s her story but it’s like there’s no interest in her. they were interested in damon getting to be with her. As someone who is just getting into writing again as an adult I question why they did Elena like that. She’s literally the protagonist

Same, in my teen years it was harder to understand at moments but now with writing again, being in the fandom space I enjoy to have a nuance conversation about Elena. I think you can't have this discussion w/out acknowledging plecverse obsession with Damon and Ian whatever crush they felt for him they let it overshadow Elena completely when it didn't start off that way. Unpopular opinion but the way Julie acted sometimes with the male cast specifically reminds me of how the women of OTH discusses their boss, Mark Schwan. I just think she lacked so many boundaries that should've been addressed. anyway!

Elena does check off the damsel in distress trope and doubles as the "Bella Swan archetype/self insert" but at least in season 1-2 for a human she tried fighting back. We see how upset she gets when Bonnie is distant, she slapped Damon and snapped at Stefan for making her believe Bonnie died. Elena did NOT support Damon abusing Caroline, she saw the bitemarks herself and asked questions. Elena tried really hard to keep Jenna out of everything. She was a teenager with survivor's guilt. Taking care of Jeremy fell on Elena. Then there's the connections the Gilberts had in town as vampire hunters/protectors, and hell even the Augustine vampire history couldve been useful for Elena... It's just so may missed opportunities and she's the lead.

back to unpopular opinions areas I think Elena was failed at with other fandoms/chars: Not giving Caroline struggles with vampirism now everyone compares Elena's transition to Caroline's, the love triangle stopped being about what Elena should need but more on what's best for the men, never letting Damon just be the villain thus giving Caroline space to critic, racial implications of letting Bonnie suffer for Elena/MFG's needs, Not writing her relationships with her friends in general, Katherine staying on the show, the mikaelsons--all it did was help enforce people pushing out Elena's flaws and lastly of course just not catering to Elena the way she deserved. A leading character should never be that way

[chaifootsteps]

Feel free to ignore this if you are fed up talking about this- but on the subject of proship. Personally after some deep thought and personal experience I believe all proship is inherently an adult topic whether or not the ships have sex in them or not. And by ships I mean dark ones such as incest, pedophilia and zoophilia.

Simply because proship content has been used to groom children before. (And from experience myself has caused a lot of confusion and anguish in my own life as a child)

though I’m not saying children won’t look at it- they surely will. I was one. But I consider it more like porn is, kids may watch it and we can’t stop them most of the time but we definitely can put more of an effort into labelling proship content as for mature/adult people who understand better the nuances of the imagery. Children are easily influenced and can do stupid shit with the media they are fed.

the proship community has to do a better job at kicking children out of the space and specifically labelling it as adult. Definitely don’t welcome kids in and engage that can lead to grooming whether they believe it not to be or whatever. Inherently showing a child images upon images of a parent X child it will fuck with them.

honestly this is why I’m not a part of the proship community regardless of if I now believe fiction can be separated from reality- but only by those who are intelligent enough to do so.

welp! That’s my mini rant. Let me know your thoughts.

I honestly think we need to scrap the whole thing and start over, because a big part of the problem is that "proship" now means extremely different things to different people, and that even words which should be unambiguous have become so muddied as to be incomprehensible; for example, fandoms calling an adult age gap pedophilia and a human/furry bestiality. It's become tribalistic nonsense, and that's bad, because predators will and do prey on the vulnerable under any label they think will make it easiest, and the situation as it stands only gives them places to hide.

Obviously, dark topics like incest, pedophilia, rape, etc. should to be tagged and ideally have some kind of disclaimer on them (no really, when I was a kid on the internet poking around in places I wasn't supposed to be, the disclaimers really did make a lot of difference.) It's not about scrubbing dark content completely, it's about making sure these kids know that there's a difference between fantasy and reality, and most importantly, the warning signs that someone might be trying to hurt them. I don't believe adults and kids who don't know one another in real life should ever be having extended private conversations online.

TL;DR: Everyone writes what they want and draws what they want, tags it appropriately, sets their own boundaries, and doesn't it to show it to kids. If you're showing weird shit to kids, you're a fucking creep regardless.

[omkdear]

Recently, a friend I’ve known for over 20 years casually compared my art to AI-generated work. At first, I thought I was okay with it - we talked it through, she apologized, and I accepted. But the comment has lingered, and frankly I’m still in a weird place. This is someone who I rode the bus with as a pre-teen and teen, we had art courses together, I helped her finish her graphic design certificate by driving her to college every other day because gas is fucking expensive. I’ve believed in her and supported her, and while she framed it as “I was just looking at the thumbnail and didn’t click the link”—the fact she would default to that, is just, ouch.

So, once again I’m thinking about the different relationships people have with art. For some, it’s a hobby that brings joy and creative satisfaction. For others, it’s a professional pursuit they’ve dedicated their lives to ‘mastering’. And then there are those of us for whom art is literally survival - a constant companion through trauma. All are valid, and humans should have access to art. There’s a giant, more nuanced conversation to have about AI and accessibility, but that isn’t quite the point of this rant—at this juncture, machine learning is not equitable. Period. Moving on.

Now, for me, art was there before I understood why I experienced the world so differently from others. Before my autism and ADHD diagnoses as an adult, when the world felt overwhelming and incomprehensible, art gave me a language of my own. It didn’t demand that I process things the way others did. It let me stim, hyperfocus, and express what I couldn’t put into words at that age. Through childhood trauma, art was my safe space - a world I could control when everything else felt chaotic. (When I did eventually find the ‘words’, I began to write as well) but the act of putting color, marks on a page was still my go-to. As an adult, after more trauma, eventually both art and writing became inaccessible to me due to being diagnosed with a clusterfuck of shit: CRPS, chiefly among them, that shares the association with a few other diseases as being labeled the ‘suicide’ disease.

From 2017 onward, my life was altered dramatically. When chronic pain and permanent disability made traditional paths impossible, art adapted with me, and decided to pursue Art History instead of getting my BA in Studio Art. When friends disappeared after my diagnosis, art stayed, even in it’s more academic form. Through the current isolation of being immunocompromised during COVID and the sheer neglect in the U.S , art gave me purpose. It’s been my voice, my processing tool, my reason to keep going. To clarify, this isn’t about hierarchy - no one’s relationship with art is more ‘valid’ than another’s. But it does mean we experience conversations about art and creativity differently. Primarily when we talk about machine learning now. When art has been your lifeline since childhood, your way of understanding yourself as a neurodivergent person, your constant through disability and isolation, comparisons between human and AI art hit differently. They touch something deeper than technical skill or creative ability. I'm sharing this because I want people to understand why some of us react so strongly to these discussions—even when you remove the context of machine learning, there’s always ‘hot’ takes that completely disregard our varied experience (as is the nature of hot takes). It's not elitism or traditionalism - it's about honoring a profound, life-sustaining relationship with creative expression that has shaped who we are. Art can be many things - a hobby, a profession, a passion. For some of us, it’s also survival. The same tools - whether traditional or digital - mean different things to different people. It’s about understanding that behind every piece of art, there might be a story of survival, of processing, of finding one’s way through a seemingly innumerable level of bullshit. The last year, I’ve worked so hard on my art and writing. I’m over 500k + in my pre-war Fallout longfic (still editing and writing, too!) and I’ve done more art this last year than I’ve done since I transferred from studio art to art history in 2019. And it’s been amazing for my brain to be able to have some semblance of community and frienship interacting creatively.

It makes the pain I experience every moment of my life now, tolerable. It’s also why I have a problem with trying to sell myself—doing commissions, etc. even though I am permanentely disabled both physically and cognitively now and it’s the only thing I really have in terms of skills to make money. My relationship with art is just different than others, and I wish people understood how devestating comments like what my friend said flippantly can be. Anyway, I’ve ranted long enough, and I may delete this. If you happen upon it across your dash and choose to read, I hope, if nothing else, you examine your own relationship to the arts.

[bawmbo]

a word about the pressure fandom (and fandom space in general) (for discussion)

i usually Don't really like bringing "drama" on main or being like . Contriversal at all but i feel like this is a perfect time to discuss fandom spaces and the result it has on people. But using pressure as an example of it

i don't wanna neccisarily say that "fandoms are getting worse!!! raahh!" because . In some sense it Isn't really the case? and in reality the environment of the fandom just changes and there's a new set of problems. but i Feel like there's more nuance to the conversation than that (i feel like i should put that disclaimer because i see a lot of people say "it's always been this way" and i. Don't have a really good chance to measure that with amnesia barriers lol)

but like . Everyone is so. Much??? i notice a trend between each fandom space i've been in where everyone is super hyperreactive and holds grudges over tiny things or lacks care to a degree that actively keeps arms open for like . Grooming and other nasty stuff (proshipping, namely).

that is to say that everything is unbelievably black and white??

for a while, i didn't want to get into pressure because of the resistance against adding deaf mode, but after the apologies, willingness to learn, and changes, we warmed up to it a bit more. We really like the game!!!!

but a more major piece of not wanting to go in was the fandom drama. i specifically see that people really rank on the creators for being "homophobic", for stating - from what i understand - that their shopkeeping "bastard" character (who needs as many assets as possible to survive) would engage in rainbow capitalism. (and mind you, that isn't even added in canon) and thst the creator of sebastian herself selfships with HER OWN OC!!! (CRIMINAL!!! BLASPHEMY!!) and that the dev team didn't want to see ship art of sebastian in their discord server (and the fandom took that as "no kissing the fish ever forever anywhere!") And that is the whole grudge ?

like . i think that there needs to be a discussion had that

a. people Are allowed to set firm boundaries in spaces they own and moderate and it is healthy for both the moderators and community to have these rules set and respected. (such as, adult moderators asserting "please don't send ship art in my discord server" to a majority minor audience.) (though i feel as though they should be able to dictate what they are comfortable sorting through regardless of audience age)

b. writing a character that engages in a bad practice does not mean that the author condones their actions, nor does liking villainous characters mean you are an absolute apologist for their wrongdoings (be it for fiction or in reality)

AND

i want to FIRMLY add the note to point b. does NOT mean that fiction does not affect reality. historically it does. the way that i was groomed (that being, that argument allowed Not Okay behaviors to be normalized to happen to me under the caveat that "it isn't real, so it's ok! i'm just overreacting"). there is an argument to be had about me being a fictive in a system and the reasons why. and there are many cases of this effect both tame and not.

in short: there are ways to write characters appropriately and there are ways to write characters harmfully (stereotypes, romanticization, fetishization, being some examples of harmful writing)

i believe that, like every character, Sebastian Solace has reason to be written the way he is, or be told the way he is. at the same time, i believe that nothing is above (appropriate) critique.

and that is not something that can co-exist nowadays? like. You have to take a hard stance on these things with your full chest like it's life or death or american politics (coming from. A very exhausted american lol)

no . The pressure devs are not homophobic for saying Sebastian Solace would engage in Rainbow Capitalism. They are not genuinely believing that they're married to him or want you dead for wanting to self ship with their own character either . Nor are they in the wrong to be uncomfortable, if they are

yes . You are allowed to be uncomfortable that your blorbo is engaging in an upsetting act to you. You are allowed to be upset that the creator is uncomfortable by what i understand to be a certain show of affection towards the character

no . You are not in your right to pray on someone's entire downfall, send death threats, or yell about how you want real people to be gored for their character accurate character choices or want to self ship as you have .

like . You guys know that you're allowed to dislike media or aspects of things without reason . Right? and that you Curate your own internet experience. and you can dislike aspects of someone without wishing death on them every single time. And that these people are real people who struggle with things too ??

the way the fandom treats the creator and devs with such hatred simply existing is so reprehensible. to make someone hate their own creation so much for things that do Not harm anyone at all is so Horrible?? and i know that i wouldn't do well with that kind of reaction either

i hope that the dev team has the time and space to heal. they did a beautiful job on the game and the amount of time and effort they put into everything about it is unbelieably admirable. they always go above and beyond

i am losing steam towards the end of this, so it migut be ramblt and i hate proof reading and i'm on ~4 hrs of sleep but this has been onnmy mind for so long . Just wanted to get it out there. my partners have heard me yell so much too fbhff. i Like having discussions okay Bye

[ride-thedragon]

It's absolutely abhorrent the treatment of Actors of Colour and Queer/Non Binary actors from the house of the dragon fandom.

Bullying actors who were literally children at the start of production because you don't like the way they do their job and communicate their process.

Abusing actors with slurs against them because you don't like their character or the fact that they are a person of colour in this universe.

Utilising the unconscious brutal imagery invoked by the show to fuel your hatred and take it out on the actor.

Misgendering out and proud non binary actors.

Going further than the show did to contribute to the minimising of these black characters. Going as far as to say that the actresses are interchangeable.

Using racist, transphobic, sexist language against the actors for portraying characters.

Removing women in their written narratives because you don't agree with their actions yet no words about the atrocities of male characters there and coming.

Calling actors ugly and using ai especially to take their faces and distort them into your own perversions.

So much more things that can be added, but don't come to mind yet they occur. There seems to be a disconnect between these actors and who they portray.

The fact that this is their job and not their life. The fact that black and brown characters are allowed to be written into these fantasy genres without extra hatred for being bipoc and nuanced. The fact that Trans and Non binary actors can exist within this space with the understanding of separating them from the gender of the character they portray. The idea that you shouldn't bully children as the majority of this fandom is adults.

We are too grown to have these conversations about basic respect. You all are too grown to conflate actors with their characters and hurl abuses towards them because you don't like their character or pit them against each other as though they are in competition.

Get a fucking grip.

[beigetiger]

Discussing Valduggery and how it reflects disagreements in generalized fandom shipping ethics (I wrote this on a dare, thanks @vividvermilion)

Gonna preface this by saying that I do not ship Valduggery, nor do I necessarily approve of other people shipping it. I think that there’s some legitimately fascinating discussions that could be had surrounding it though, but any sort of nuance usually gets flattened and it’s pretty disappointing. So this essay is gonna sound a lot like me defending the ship, I’m not, but I was thinking about it.

Like I said earlier, nuance often gets cut out of the conversation, likely due to a variety of factors. One would be a knee-jerk disgust towards it (which I’m not saying is inherently bad) and another is probably that people really, really do not want their fandom to be known as the one that defends a borderline pedophilic ship (I say borderline because I’ve only ever seen Valdug stuff set when Valkyrie is an adult, but I’m also only on Tumblr and have no idea what’s going on in other forums). Again, not a bad thing to want, but outside social pressure is how a lot general fandom policing takes hold, which then makes the fandom more of a toxic space.

Now, this fandom in particular is pretty relaxed and I appreciate that, but getting into fights, bullying others over their ships, and just generally spreading vitriol against your fellow media enjoyers is never ok and it makes the fandom spaces so much less enjoyable for everybody. And since so many people on social media feel the need to insert themselves into everything regardless of whether or not they enjoy it, it’s always a good reminder that if you dislike or disapprove of something, keep your mouth shut and block it (I know this is a pretty general thing taught on Tumblr, but I’m still going to reinforce it here). This also means that experiencing some form of shaming from someone outside the fandom is very much within possibility, but the people who do that are stupid and you should internalize the idea that you shouldn’t take that seriously.

I’m also gonna point out, no matter how already-talked-about this point is, that none of these people are real people, or even based on real people. These guys are about as fictional as you are ever going to get. It’s a fair thing to point out that allowing yourself to become accustomed to this particular flavour of fictional abuse can allow you to become more accepting of it in real life, and that might be vaguely correct (don’t quote me on this, I’m not a psychologist), but the thing is is that if that were true, than that standard would have to be enforced on all types of fictional abuse.

And here is where I discuss the big double standard of abuse in fandom spaces. I’m gonna have to use some other fandoms as a reference for this, and I’m dead certain that everyone reading this can come up with a few of their own as well. Abuse is depicted in media pretty often, which means that the people who consume it are then desensitized to it (to a degree). But since some flavours of abuse are shown, discussed, and joked about more often, this leads to a sort of fandom dichotomy between “acceptable abuse”, which is abuse that is allowed to be drawn, enjoyed, and romanticized, as opposed to “bad” abuse, which will get you demonized for enjoying and sometimes even depicting. If any of you have seen Gravity Falls trending recently, Billford (the reason it’s trending) is an abusive ship, but it’s considered “acceptable” abuse. Bad abuse usually involves sexual assualt or pedophilia (and often other topics as well). It’s all abuse, but the fact that some forms of abuse will get you harassed and threatened while other forms are extremely popular signals to me that some amount of discussion regarding double-standards and basic self-control should probably be had in general fandom spaces.

Because if we were to enforce the idea that all types of abuse (romantic or otherwise) are Very Bad™️ and need to be demonized, none of us are actually allowed to enjoy Skulduggery Pleasant because it’s a series about a child soldier and the four-hundred-year-old guy she has a toxic codependency with. Again, I do not ship them romantically at all, but I really do enjoy thinking about and analyzing fucked up dynamics, so I’d much prefer to be able to enjoy this series without being shamed for it (and wish to extend that courtesy to others because if there’s anything I hate, it’s being a hypocrite).

But going back to shipping, shipping something abusive or generally fucked up (such as Valduggery) is not the same as endorsing it, even if the person does enjoy it. Enjoying/appreciating is not endorsing either. In fact, writing or depicting something that’s already messed up in the canon can be a creative way to analyze and then extend that abuse, which gives fans more food for thought and gives writers and artists good practice thinking about social implications.

For example, there’s probably an unholy number of variations of Valduggery ships (I’ve seen two here on Tumblr but I’d be shocked if there’s not more) due to there being so many variations of both Skulduggery and Valkyrie (four each, I believe). Each of these pairings have a slightly different dynamic and writing about those different dynamics is interesting! I have fun thinking about the different possible dynamics between the duos (hello, every SP au I have ever made) and doing that same analyzing but in a romantic sense isn’t inherently evil (sometimes it’s really funny). Fandoms are supposed to be places for creative self-expression, and policing what people are allowed to do with themselves (while also enforcing a double standard) isn’t good.

On a more general note and not necessarily tying into the SP fandom, sometimes people write or draw toxic ships (or other things that aren’t necessarily ships) as a way to work through and express trauma or other negative emotions. And these people don’t deserve to be harassed for doing that (again, self-expression). They also don’t have to defend themselves to you or specifically state that they’re doing what they’re doing to help themselves handle trauma, because that’s on par with asking for the medical history of a trans or disabled person and is a fucked up thing to do. Not that I’m blaming this fandom in particular for doing that, you guys are great. This is just my general ranting about fandom spaces with my limited experience handling fandom (especially toxic fandom).

Now, as I said earlier, I actually don’t interact with the SP fandom outside of Tumblr, so I could be wildly mischaracterizing Valduggery shippers in other spaces at the moment (I’ve heard horror stories about AO3 but I’m not on there so I have no opinions of my own). Intentionally making light of abuse is always bad, but again, please do not harass your fellow fans.

This was a REALLY long post and I’m sorry for bringing up something that I know is a bit of a touchy subject for this fandom. This idea started out as a lot more specifically about Valduggery but then I decided that so much I wanted to talk about regarding the ship is a trend reflected across nearly all fandoms, so I ended up talking in much more general terms.

If anyone has literally any thoughts please share them, because I’m slightly in disbelief that I actually wrote this out about this subject. I also want to know if I missed any important factors while writing this because I hate doing that. Thank you all for reading my soapbox rant.

[curio-queries]

As an aroace myself, I have sometimes wondered about the relationship status between Jimin and Jungkook. Not because I don't think they love each other, because it's obvious that they do. But because I love my friends so strongly, that sometimes, people who do not know me, think that I am in a relationship with a couple of them. I am, but it's just not the relationship they think about. It's literally just a very strong friendship.

The complete aspec erasure is so strong in the BTS community. It often feels like there is absolutely no room for any other relationship that normal dude-bro friends or boyfriends who have sex, often. Like no, please, there are so many other ways people can love each others, and every single way is beautiful in its own right. Do I believe Jimin and Jungkook are in love ? A little. Yes. Because they definitely go past the barriers that I know. But does that mean they are regular boyfriends? I don't know. Only they know. They are free to define their relationship in any way that pleases them. They are incredibly famous multi-millionnaires, so it makes me laugh when people think they can stand in their shoes and assume that they know exactly what they are for each other. No, you don't. Nobody but them knows. Nobody even realise how freaking busy they are (not until @wingzie made that beautiful timeline). They don't have a 9 to 5 factory or desk job. They have a life that nearly nobody on earth can relate to. And maybe even them have not yet defined exactly what they are to each other, or maybe they were waiting, or maybe things change and move around. There is no right or wrong way to have a relationship, as long as it's between consenting adults. It's so nice to have someone else from the aspec community over here <3.

Hi anon!

It's so lovely to hear your thoughts as well. I completely understand everything you're saying here. It's something that's been building up for me for a while here. I spend absolutely no time engaging in other social media spaces for BTS content. I dipped my toes into those waters and there just wasn't enough space for nuance for me. But here in cooky little tumblr land, there's at least a tiny fraction of a place where I feel these conversations can actually be held.

Frankly, I do like spending time sharing in the joy that I see in the member's relationships. There are some absolutely wonderful moments of humanity to which we're privy. If I could improve one thing though it'd definitely be for people to focus more on the joy-sharing and celebrations rather than the fanwars and competitions.

Anyway, thank you for sending this in! It's so lovely to know I'm not completely alone in these views.

[foggyxrayspecs]

Can you do a one shot of cub standing upright??

Sorry it’s the anon from before

YESSS. Thank you for being patient, friend! You got it! Here's a one-shot about a year and a half after the Security Measures main series. Warnings: dark-ish, sub-themes of human trafficking, heavy pet play Word Count: ~1500 Excerpt: You swallow down your growls. You straighten your spine against the stress. No slouching. Slouching turns to bending, bending turns to curling… You roll your shoulders back and puff out your chest intentionally. Your focus shifts back to your breath — the only thing you can control at the moment.

IN A WAREHOUSE IN YEKATERINBURG, RUSSIA It took roughly a thousand hours of mobility training and practice to get you here, but you are here on your own two feet.

You stand stoically, a sentinel outside the room where your owner engages in a high-stakes meeting with the Yekaterinburg mob boss. Your hard gaze wills your sight to bore through the closed door. Your auditory enhancements are dialed up to try and catch every sound, including the cadence of Yelena’s speech rhythms as she negotiates for keeps. 

You are dressed head-to-toe in black tactical. Always mindful of your comfort and mobility during missions, Yelena designed your suit to be roomy enough to accommodate any necessary movements. The fabric clings to your body but is not too tight, allowing flexibility without compromising protection. Your hood, a custom piece, resembles a K-9, complete with little ears that stand up on either side of your head. It extends with a longer snout build-out that provides ample space for a muzzle when required while still optimized for breathing. 

Around your neck, you proudly wear your day collar, a symbol of your loyalty and Yelena’s ownership. A simple bulldog harness adorns your torso, providing additional support and security. Plus, you love it when she tugs on the strap to pull you close. 

But it's the footwear that still feels strange to you. Yelena insisted you wear shoes after you accidentally burned the pads of your feet. These steel and supple leather boots have been expertly molded to fit your feet like a second skin. You wiggle your toes, still adjusting to the sensation so different from what you were accustomed to. So weird.

As the negotiation progresses, you study the tone of the voices in the room, Yelena's trademark confidence, and the mobster's unpredictable temperament. The rhythm of their conversation, the pauses, and the inflections become a catalog of information that you analyze every nuance for potential threats.

You swallow down your growls. You straighten your spine against the stress. No slouching. Slouching turns to bending, bending turns to curling downward… You roll your shoulders back and puff out your chest intentionally. A tiny bit of your focus shifts to your breath — the only thing you can control at the moment.

XXXXX

ONE YEAR AGO (TRAINING MONTAGE)

Yelena's determination to have you on more extended missions made her focus on your mobility earnestly. Due to the regulations that required HK-9s to travel in crates in the cargo holds of planes, Yelena wanted to find a way to keep you close to her side. So, she started you on a rigorous routine, retraining you to stand upright after spending most of your adult life walking on all fours.

The training began with early morning workouts, targeting your core muscles and balance. You could sit up on the ottoman for an entire movie as you gain strength. Well, if the movie wasn’t too scary (and didn’t set off your protective instincts enough to lunge at the screen.) From there, Yelena guided you to stand using support from a wall or other sturdy objects, allowing you to grow accustomed to being upright. Climbing up her while she stood was always your favorite exercise, with the instant reward of affectionate kisses and nuzzling.

Gradually, Yelena decreased the amount of support you required. With time and practice, you could stand unassisted for extended periods, your muscles growing stronger as she molded your body through her instruction.

Once you could stand freely, Yelena shifted her focus to re-teaching you how to walk. Advised by Oksana, she transformed the home gym by installing parallel bars and other physical therapy equipment, providing you with stable tools for practice. 

The effort wasn't without its snags. Melina offered her assistance when you experienced unexplained bouts of vertigo during your first steps. She expertly assessed your sensory inputs and made slight adjustments near your vestibular nerve (to reverse tampering from years ago), alleviating any concerns of nausea or dizziness. Your progress kicked into overdrive when you could stop worrying about losing your lunch.   

Yelena ensured the house environment was safe and free of obstacles, so you could no longer leave your toys everywhere. Bipedal-only walking days were implemented inside the house, pressing you to practice on surfaces like wood, carpet, tile, and grass. Yelena remained patient and positive throughout, even when frustration got the better of you. 

She stood by your side with a cane during sessions on the treadmill, gently tapping you on either calf to correct any toe-turning. She listened keenly to your body's messages and promptly ceased training if you experienced pain. She was better at that than you were. 

But the playful moment when you confidently moonwalked backward across the kitchen floor — a move taught to you by one of the widows during some downtime— signaled to Yelena that the time had come to take you out.

XXXXX

BACK IN THE CORRIDOR

You stand at attention as Yelena exits the dimly lit room; her expression is unreadable, and her gun is smoking. Her eyes briefly look up and meet yours, a fleeting acknowledgment. There is no need for words; you are leaving now. You fall into step beside her as you walk down the corridor. Your eyes sweep the area and over her head, knowing that four widows are covertly covering the building but will not reveal themselves unless signaled. 

Together, you and Yelena move in sync, a well-practiced vigilance. Each turn you take, each hallway you navigate, brings you closer to the exit. Yelena quickens her pace, and you adjust accordingly, seamlessly matching her movements. You share an unspoken understanding, a mutual trust forged through countless missions and shared experiences.

Finally, you reach the exit. With a subtle nod, you guide her toward the sleek egress vehicle, its polished exterior gleaming under the moon. The car door opens soundlessly, and Yelena gracefully slides into the driver’s seat. You ensure her safety with a gentle click as the door closes.

The engine purrs softly. With a smile on her lips, she reaches over and opens the passenger door, motioning for you to join her. She whispers with her voice laced with pride and anticipation, "Get in, cub." 

XXXXX

AT A SAFE HOUSE NEAR THE AIRPORT

She opens the door for you when you get out of the car. You reach out, then stop yourself. Yelena looks back at you and smiles softly, then reaches to curl her pinkie around your index finger. “You always need a leash, yes?” You roll your eyes. She continues while leading you to the door, “You know you love it.”

You smile shyly with a shrug and sign. Maybe just a little.

Yelena opens the house with her security access, then locks it down when you are both inside. Once in your bedroom, Yelena stands before you, her eyes scanning your tactical gear. “You did a very good job, my cub, and you looked very cool in your new suit.” 

Yelena’s inspections were familiar after a mission, but this time, she had a mischievous glint in her eyes. With deliberate movements, she approached you, her fingers deftly undoing the fastenings of your suit, one by one. 

You stood still, anticipation building as she removed each piece. As her fingers released the buckles of your harness, the straps fell away. When she unzipped the suit, her fingers brushed against your skin, igniting a trail of shivers. The hood was the next to come off. Her fingers lingered, tracing the contours of the muzzle as she set it aside.

Yelena's touch ghosted over the day collar, a silent affirmation of her possession. With gentleness, she leaned forward to press her lips against the lock that symbolized your devotion.

With every piece of clothing removed, you stood before Yelena, bared and vulnerable. Her eyes met yours, a mixture of affection and possessiveness shining in them. She took a step closer, caressing your cheek, and whispered, "You're mine." You close your eyes briefly, then open them, knowing that her claim extends far beyond the physical. 

You take a long breath and sign. Please?

Yelena smiles slowly and nods once. “Kneel.”

A wave of relief hits you, and you can barely help yourself from folding in midair.

As you lower yourself, your eyes never leave hers while your perspectives are inverted. You go from towering over her down to her eye level, then lower until you are on your knees, looking up at your owner.

It's hard to describe the transference. Looking down at Yelena makes you feel protective, strong, and ready. It also makes you feel loving and compassionate. When you look down at her, you see not only her physical appearance but also her vulnerability. You see a person who trusts you. 

But looking up at someone you love can also be a very intimate experience. It makes you feel safe and protected. It makes you feel excited and grateful. When you look up at Yelena, you see her body but also her soul. You see the person who makes you feel happy, loved, and cherished.

After a thousand hours of training to stand and move, it becomes clear that kneeling for her requires no time at all.

[daystarvoyage]

Hey! I know most people like to imagine Philip's reaction upon seeing Lilith centuries later and realizes that she's the one who punched him in the face but hear me out and imagine this:

Ghost Caleb who's following his brother around/ Papa Titan watching Philip through the cubes and both sees Lilith punching Philip in the Deadwardian era: .... He deserved that...

Both men centuries later, seeing a younger Lilith and recognizes her: OMG, it's her! *immediately starts the countdown when will Lilith go back in time*

hmmm, I do feel you're talking about the interactions with the claw-thrones & witter banes in the show,

SO I'm going to make this elaborate answer,

But I have a lot to add along this by ranting in my input.

Yes, I do feel that was a lost opportunity to flesh out these groups more, cause Eda is a main character, with Lilith being her sister, which should've been explored properly.

along with their family Gwen & dill, they were the coolest characters shown, Gwen to be exact ever since her debut showing off her magical prowess.

The father's Name I think?, I feel he never got proper exposure except for that strained family moment episode, and that’s it so that’s a missed opportunity.

(SIGH It's weird how they treat the MEN in the show very weird, cause they didn’t make a prominent impact like the females, ANOTHER TOPIC SOON.)

we never get any future closure within the series centered around the family, cause they could've made room to due alot, let alone even a conversation, or more advancements on how IDK the palismen can properly excel the magic system within the show CAUSE DILL HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THEM.

As for lilith time travel episode,

Ghost Caleb Shoudve made a debut in season 2 instead being muddled with discourse to have more characters who haven't had proper spotlight to Get to know them being overshadowed.

I mean its a fantasy show, you have to have proper worldbuilding and lore being talked about more, Which the whole show-and-tell thing didn't work out cause it was never explored again, plus the time travel aspect should've contributed a lot more but was played off just for bplot manner that should've been bigger, (unlike another episode with one bplot overtook a certain characters spotlight?!)

LIKE THE WITTERBANE LORE BEING RUSHED and the only achievement that Lilith got after your fans treated her badly,

(with Camilia who’s a good mother, SO WE DONT WELCOME TOXIC HATERS HERE.)

For Lilith to get in your good graces is just punching Phillip, OR BEING KNOW AS AROACE cause when your sexuality wins with no proper character development or Writing in the Owl House. (which is understandable cause lgbt media has been taboo throughout times.)

but not properly give nuance on why I know she wanted to have objectives, please we need Good writing characters plz.

(besides Lilith befriending Phillip in the time travel episode.)

Lilith development i feel should've been placed in an organized manner. I Swear the show treats its adults in a useless adults or demonizes them if they don't let their favorites get there way. shunned them retcon them or not celebrated more compared to the other popular characters. SMH

so heres term for it

(not to mention their characters being retconned at times.)

it felt they got off easy with her ever since I watched pitched bibles of her being antagonistic, (along her run of the show), as time goes by, We got to see which contributed that, that should've been explored

as for the yes along Papa Titan ordeal, I felt they should've made him more impactful cause he is a literal god yet he's just made as a joke for luz to revive herself. COME ON

all i know is the Witterbane & Clawthrones should've had more interactions with A POWERFUL GOD SMH, cause dill had knowledge of some powerful items that could've contributed to the story but he was sidelined, the way they shelved half the characters is just wow

So hope this answers all your questions and thanks for sipping tea with me more topics on my youtube Channel - Daystar Voyage

[afuckingsunshine]

Hello, canary-prince, you have victimized me for talking about a subject you weren't ready to talk about in a community space. But instead of handling it like an adult, you went into my asks and blantly disrespected me. As a victim of SA, victim of attempt murder, victim of parental abuse, and much more, because you took something that wasn't a topic of social conversation but a literary one. You took it as an attack on YOU, then masked as you being a knight in shinning armor for victims you claim to be speaking for while in the same breath shaming me for speaking about my own experiences. You are, the worst mental health professional I have the unpleasant time meeting.

You claim a lot of things in that ask, you thought I would just cower away and not do anything, hell, you didn't like it so much when I clapped back at you and then suddenly you blocked me when I called you out twice on the community post. With screen shots on top of that. You claim that people have the right to this and that but when I was making or attempting to connect with people in the question of sexual assault in stories both original and fanfiction, you claimed i was censoring. Which is funny as no one said that in their responses, many both assaulted and not commented their thoughts openly. And I was open to them, I encouraged their interactions and thoughts.

You throw different title of jobs and such, you throw things at me that weigh nothing. I even cited sources when brought up. You hide behind old notions from decades ago while padding your back as some proud person who went after a mental disabled person. Someone who, if you were what you said you were, would obviously protect and try to understand.

I don't like talking about myself but this is honestly depressing. I hope you see this and understand something from it or others see it, and see you as for what you are.

A hypocrite.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wanted to share this message in the name of my friend out of solidarity bc you blocked them when they tried to explain themselves after you instead of commenting on their post like a normal person sent them an ask to seemingly explain your own thoughts and opinions when in reality you were hostile and rude I wouldn't expect something like this from anyone much less another survivor your attitude and approach has been unprofessional considering you introduced yourself as a healthcare professional if the person on the receiving end of your message had been me I would have responded to you in the same tone which would be to say if you can't comprehend the nuances of this question your opinions on it doesn't matter to me and it shouldn't matter to anyone with half a brain either and if there is anyone in your care I wish for them to find someone who can help them in the way they deserve instead of the likes of you who makes judgements on people by what they post on Tumblr because if you were a real professional you would know better and also go fuck yourself

Worst regards. @canary-prince

[denimbex1986]

'With Concrete’s issue on sex and relationships coinciding with LGBTQ+ history month, All of Us Strangers (2023, Andrew Haigh) bridges both themes, bringing an important conversation to the foreground. It delves into the intricacies of human connection, love, and loss – set against the backdrop of queer identity and the enduring echoes of the past.

It is easy to get caught up in the kaleidoscope of emotion stemming from physical connection. However, Adam (Andrew Scott), the central protagonist in All of Us Strangers, appears disconnected from this world. The film transforms sex and relationships into something spectral – a ghost story of profound loneliness, where the presence of love is overshadowed by an aching absence.

The story follows Adam, a struggling screenwriter, as he negotiates loneliness and returns to his childhood home to forge a new relationship with his long-deceased parents as an adult. Meanwhile, Adam seemingly forges a new romance with Harry (Paul Mescal), who appears to be the only other resident in their otherwise hauntingly empty building. However, the film is not particularly concerned with the logic of the narrative – its dreamlike quality invites ambiguity. The story’s emotional resonance takes priority within the liminal space between reality and fantasy, allowing the minimalistic cast several deeply heartfelt moments.

Shot on 35mm, the film uses an analogue palette for Adam’s parents’ home, creating a soft hue of nostalgia for something that never was. Departing from a recent tendency in modern queer films for the parents to express full embrace and understanding, Haigh opts for more raw and nuanced parental confrontations. The film drives home a message that one can feel like a ‘stranger’ in their own family, ‘coming out just puts a name to that difference that’s always been there’, as Harry states at one point.

Yet, it is important to note that queerness in itself is not the root cause of Adam’s loneliness. Rather, it is societal prejudices that have made him feel different. The film affirms the idea that to be seen is to be loved, and being queer is just one facet of this. Adam’s parents may be confined to preconceptions of queerness from outdated ‘80s prejudices, but the film’s main fixation is on finding catharsis in the reconciliation behind this lack of understanding. Adam imagines conversations that he and many others don’t have the closure in replicating, thus providing solace to a queer audience who have perhaps yearned for something similar. His parents may not completely understand, but they can accept and see Adam.

Meanwhile, Adam’s relationship with Harry provides a fleeting sense of connection in their full understanding of one another. Although, the real tragedy comes in the film’s ending in the finding that even their relationship was built only upon the false yearning for this reality. We can never truly know each other, but All of Us Strangers highlights the importance of the attempts for connection and the detrimental loneliness in the absence of human connectivity.'

[betweenthings2]

❛ it’s okay, you can touch me. ❜ for gatty please….feel like it can be your sweet spot of angst and smut 😂

Thank you for the ask!! I'm so, so, so sorry it took me so long to write this. I have no excuse. The prompt list is here if anyone else wants to see it =) If it's any consolation, this is like two thousand words and has a real plot.

Subtle smut starters- "It's ok, you can touch me."

*This is adult content, proceed accordingly*

They haven't really done anything since Matty's been home. Really, it's been much longer than that, but Matty doesn't really want to add before to the count. They've been sharing a bed, sharing space, sharing a life, again, but they haven't really done this. They tried more than a few times, but Matty kept freezing up, retreating inside himself, so they stopped trying. Matty knew it would probably be like that. He's had to learn how to reconnect with his body, understand feelings and urges beyond being high and being dope sick.

Matty is doing better now, though. His body feels more like his own. He doesn't hate looking at himself on the mirror anymore. He's getting better at identifying what his body is telling him. He feels better, better than he has in a long time. Matty just needs to convince George to touch him again. It's not that George hasn't touched him at all. Matty likes contact and George hasn't been out to deprive him of that, he's just been very careful of how he does it.

Matty's plan to convince George he's ok again involves less nuance and more simply draping himself over George at every chance he gets. George doesn't give Matty much at first, just careful, gentle touches, and mostly keeps his hands to himself. Matty finds it infuriating and endearing in equal measure. On one hand, he wants George to touch him again, but on the other, George is so good to him, so kind, so thoughtful, so careful, so loving. The whole thing would be solved if Matty just had a conversation, but he's just not quite ready to actually talk about it.

Instead, he doubles down on trying to send the message through actions. He starts by crowding into George's space, trying to get close and touchy. Matty's plan kind of backfires, though, because every time he tries, George just offers a gentle touch to his shoulder or upper back and moves, offering the space he thinks Matty needs. Matty knows he ought to just say something, but every time he tries, he comes up blank on what he's supposed to say. Something like, 'Hey, George, remember how I went to rehab and had no idea how to be a person in a body? I'm better now. Wanna fuck?' Matty's pretty sure that’s the wrong way to go about things. Still, his current approach is also probably the wrong way to go about things, too.

Matty finally makes himself just say something one evening that he and George meet Adam and Ross for dinner and drinks. George excuses himself for a cigarette towards the end of the meal and Matty follows a few minutes later, citing the same excuse after Adam asks if he and George are ok. Outside, George offers a greeting, but makes no move to be close or touch, so Matty crowds himself into George's space, plucks the cigarette from between his fingers, and takes a drag. Ever thoughtful, George takes a step back, giving Matty space, until Matty grabs his wrist, keeping him from stepping away again.

"Stop it," Matty says, dropping the cigarette. "Stop fucking backing off. Stop fucking acting like you don't want to be near me."

George doesn't answer right away, just looks at Matty half confused.

Suddenly it strikes Matty that maybe George doesn't want to be around him. So much has changed and they've been though so much, Matty has put them through so much. He lets go of George's wrist and steps back, saying, "Do you," he pauses, "do you not want to me near me?"

"Fuck, Matty, no, I, I," George pauses to gather his words, then continues, "I always want to be near you. Always."

"Then," a pause, "then why are you acting like you don't?"

George steps closer and pulls Matty into a tight hug. "I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I am."

Matty rests his forehead against George's shoulder when they separate a bit and mumbles, "I miss you."

"I'm here," George promises, rubbing Matty's back. "I'm here. I'm always right here for you."

"I wanna go home, G," Matty murmurs. "Will you take me home?"

George smiles and presses a kiss into Matty's messy curls, agreeing, "Yeah, let's go home. Just let me pay the bill, ok?"

Matty nods and lets George lead him back inside. The plates have been cleared from their table and Adam and Ross are deep in conversation, glancing up only when Matty and George slide back into their seats. George pays their bill when the waiter comes back and excuses them after that, pointedly wrapping his arm around Matty's waist once they've pulled their jackets on.

They get a cab home and George lets Matty press himself close in the backseat, but there's nothing more than that, just closeness. They both know what's going to happen when they get home, but they all the time in the world to make it good. It's not starting in the backseat of a cab.

It does start when they get inside. They take their shoes off and hang their jackets on the rack by the front door and then George crowds into Matty's space, pulling him close for a kiss, hands just barely against his lower back. When they separate, George detours through the kitchen to leave their leftovers in the fridge and get a glass of water, while Matty heads upstairs. He gets through unbuttoning his shirt before George gets up to the bedroom, too, and takes over.

He pushes Matty's shirt off his shoulders and tosses it away, touches still feather-light against Matty's skin. George leans in for another kiss before he goes to undo Matty's belt and trousers. Matty's hands find their way to unbuttoning George's shirt, too, and it's not long before they're both in nothing but their boxers and Matty urges George toward the bed until he's sitting on the edge.

Matty settles into George's lap, knees on either side of his thighs, and leans in for another kiss, gentle but deep and wanting. George reciprocates, of coure, but he doesn't touch Matty. Instead, his hands hover just barely above Matty's skin, close enough that Matty can sense his hands there, but too far away to feel the contact.

"'s ok," Matty murmurs, breaking the kiss and taking George's hand to rest on his hip, "you can touch me. I want you to touch me."

George leaves his hand on Matty's hips, fingers just barely touching his warm, soft skin, and uses his other hand to cup Matty's jaw, thumb grazing over his cheekbone, and asks, "Are you sure? I don't wanna hurt you."

Matty nods. "You won't hurt me. You've never hurt me. You've never done a thing I didn't want."

Still, George is hesitant, saying, "I don't wanna make things worse. It's ok. We don't have to do anything. You don't own me anything."

"I know that," Matty answers. "I do. I want this. G, I want this." Matty punctuates his words by moving, grinding his hips down into George's lap as if to entice him to do something.

"You're sure?" George asks.

Matty nods again. "I'm sure. I want this."

"You want this?" George echoes, running his hand up Matty's back, under his shirt. "You want me to make you feel good?"

"Please," Matty agrees. "Please touch me."

"Touch you, hm?" George murmurs, ghosting his fingers down Matty's spine. "Like this? Or maybe," he cards fingers through Matty's hair and tugs, "like this? Maybe," George squeezes Matty's hip, fingers digging into his soft skin, "like this?"

Matty shakes his head.

"Maybe like this?" George continues, hand now between Matty's legs, squeezing his cock through his boxers. "Or," George moves his hand to Matty's ass and squeezes again, "here?"

"I want you to fuck me," Matty says, voice low and even, shifting his hips again.

"How?" George pushes. "How do you want me to fuck you?"

"Like you love me," is Matty's answer.

George can't help but press his lips to Matty's in a short, chaste kiss, then murmurs, "I do love you."

"Show me?" Matty asks, quiet and innocent.

"Yeah, I'll show you," George agrees. He guides Matty to lay down, his pale skin a start contrast against the dark bedsheets, and works his boxers off, freeing his hard cock.

"George?"

George pauses. "Yeah?"

"I love you, too."

George can't help but smile and lean down for a gentle kiss, before lubing his fingers and teasing two against Matty's hole until he murmurs a plea, then sinks one inside. He lets Matty get used to having something inside him, then adds a second finger. George takes his time opening Matty up, in part because it's been so long, but also because he can, because he wants to take his time exploring Matty's body, touching him, because Matty wants to be touched.

Eventually George adds a third finger, and after a few moments, Matty says, "I'm ready, George. Don't make me wait, please."

George strokes Matty's hip and responds, "And if I'm not?"

Matty clenches his muscles and whines, like it will convince George to do something.

"Let me, baby, let me take care of you," George murmurs. "Just feel this." He punctuates his words with a careful stroke against Matty's prostate, making him swallow any protests and he does as George told him.

George continues taking his time just feeling Matty and watching his every reaction, appreciating every little noise he makes. When Matty reaches to touch himself, George shakes his head and says, "You're gonna cum like this, just from me touching you."

"I wanna feel you," Matty protests. "Want you to fuck me. Wanna feel your cock. I wanna cum on your cock."

"I will," George responds, stroking Matty's hip again. "You will. You're gonna cum like this first, though. You can cum twice for me, can't you, sweetheart?"

Matty takes a sharp breath, but he nods, and lets George have his way. Really, he has most of what he wants--George's hands on him, George's fingers in him, George all around him--and as long as George keeps saying nice things, keeps calling Matty pet names, keeps being so soft and gentle, he can take whatever he wants from Matty.

"Good boy," George murmurs, "that's my good boy." He finds Matty's prostate again, firm but not rough, making Matty whimper and his cock leak precum against his belly, George repeats the motion, then he does it again and again until Matty cums untouched.

George doesn't stop moving, but his other hand from Matty's hip to his cock to stroke him back to hardness. Matty whimpers when George touches his cock, sensitive, but he doesn't ask George to stop.

What Matty does eventually do is beg. "George," he whines, "please. Don't make me wait any longer, please. Please. I need you."

"Almost," George promises, removing his fingers. He sheds his own boxers, spreads lube over his cock, then lines himself up and sinks slowly inside, stilling to let Matty adjust when he's fully inside.

Matty feels euphoric. Some of that, he's sure, is the lingering fingers of his first orgasm, but more of it is the fact that he finally, finally, is as close to George as physically possible.

Matty kind of gasps which turns into a choked off sob when George starts moving, making him still immediately.

"Matty?" George asks, worried. "Are you hurt?"

Matty shakes his head and tries to wrap his legs around George to keep him close. "'s just," he pauses, "I missed you."

George leans down to kiss Matty hard, wiping a stray tear away when they separate. "You're sure you're ok?" he asks.

"Yeah. I'm sure," Matty answers. "Now please, please, fuck me."

George can't help but chuckle, overcome with affection and he rolls his hips, making Matty's breathing hitch. "You asked, baby," he murmurs. He keeps moving, thrusting shallowly, and presses kisses along Matty's jaw, pausing to suck a hickey at his pulse point.

Matty whimpers and chokes back another small sob. George is everywhere, everything is sweat and sex and George. Everything is George and George knows him. George knows him, and in this moment, Matty delights in being known. His cock is trapped behind their bodies, and there's friction with every thrust of George's hips filling Matty just right. He's not sure when it started, but he's fully crying, good crying, but still crying.

There's no warning when Matty cums, he just does, spilling between them and adding to the mess already there. George isn't far behind him, cumming with just a few more thrusts. He's still for a few moments, then sits up and pulls out before doing a kind of halfhearted job of cleaning them both up with tissues from the nightstand. That's not entirely George's fault, though--Matty's still kind of crying and reaches out to George, urging him to lay down.

George has never really been able to say no to Matty, so he does lay down, gathering Matty into his arms and letting him finish crying. Matty's head feels like it's been packed full of cotton, but George is warm and solid and safe, so he makes no move to change anything, comfortable.

After a while, George asks, "How're ya feelin'?"

"'m good," Matty promises. "You're here."

[amourrs]

age regression is often sexual. people who go into little space can enjoy both sexual and non sexual play. it’s not always a trauma response, some people just like it. if you wanted to learn about it, you could look into the subreddits r/cglpersonals or r/ABDLpersonals

you’re going to find some weird shit in there — but that’s the point. kink between consenting adults is often weird. it often explores taboos, like age play or pet play or even incest.

those things are not unethical just because you don’t like them.

you said: no amount of nuance is going to make me defend reader baby talking whilst joel calls her “kid” and she calls him “dad”.

women are allowed to have fantasies, dude. even if you think they’re weird. a lot of women want to feel small and soft and protected. age play and daddy kink give them a space for that.

an adult participating in age play is probably going to read a lot like they’re “child adjacent” whatever that means. the difference is that they are not a child. they are an adult who can consent, even if they pretend that they cannot to explore the taboo of a roleplay scene.

it is not the same thing as grooming. it is not the same thing as pedophilia. fanfiction is play, written for adults by adults.

here’s the thing. often it’s not a roleplay scene. the warnings on some of these fics say things such as “reader is incredibly naive and knows nothing about sex” and then has the reader act like a child and use child-like language to describe their bodies. how is that anything to do with “play”? if the reader is explicitly stated to have little to no knowledge about sex, explain to me how they can “consent” to a “taboo roleplay scene”.

i will look into these subreddits because i am willing to learn about these things but it’s still not really relevant to my point, because as stated above: it is made clear that these are not roleplay scenes.

and i think there’s a distinct difference between a daddy kink and the whole kid/dad/cunny debacle, but maybe that’s just me. however i’m allowed to state that i don’t want people who are into the type of daddy kink where they actually act as if the character IS the reader’s father to block me and not interact with me. using the word “daddy” in a sexual setting doesn’t bother me: it is the context in which this is used, with children’s clothing and shoes etc used in headers which indicate this to be a lot darker and more disturbing than just a daddy kink.

however, saying incest is not unethical “just because i don’t like it” is crazy. incest is against the law (at least in the uk, and im pretty sure in america from a quick google search) for a very good reason, because it is indeed unethical. i never brought up incest but i will be clear: I DO NOT LIKE INCEST! nor do i agree that it is ethical in the slightest! i fear saying things like this that aren’t even related to my point and go against literal laws doesn’t make you look like a reliable source of information. if you think incest is ethical i am not interested in holding any sort of conversation with you and i must insist you stay away from me and my blog.

[lunar-years]

On a related note, the evolution of how she speaks about marriage in her music is fascinating and really, for me, a little manifesto all its own on growing up, gaining experiences (good and bad), developing hindsight, and coming out the other side as a person with more wisdom and the strength to keep dreaming. It really sucks that most people cannot talk about this in a normal way!! Because when you divorce yourself from the needless obsession with the men involved and place the focus back on HER (who is ultimately the one person her songwriting has always reflected)...what a testament to her evolvement into a multifaceted, complex, still hopeful adult woman with many important dreams this is:

“you looked at me, got down on one knee” -> “marry me Juliet, you'll never have to be alone” -> "back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday, but I realized some bigger dreams of mine" -> “we could get married, have ten kids and teach them how to dream” -> “I’d marry you with paper rings” -> “he wanted a bride I was making my own name” -> “he said that if the sex was half as good as the conversation, soon they’d be pushing strollers” (🤢) -> "Storm coming, bad omen, dragged my feet right down the aisle" -> "she would've made such a lovely bride, what a shame she's fucked in the head" -> "give you my wild, give you a child" -> all they keep asking me is if I’m gonna be your bride, only kind of girl they see is a one night or a wife” -> “I wouldn’t marry me either” -> “I died on the alter waiting for the proof” -> “you take my ring off my middle finger and put it on the one people put wedding rings on, and that’s the closest I’ve come” -> "please, let it once be me...don't want money, just someone who wants my company" -> “are you gonna marry, kiss or kill me? I’m betting on all three”

We can literally trace the evolvement of her thinking from her childhood and teenage years of a hopeless romantic, fairytale-like idealization of marriage, mostly spoken about it in whimsical dreamings about her own future (love story) and songs about other people's relationships she viewed as the epitome of true love (Starlight, Mary’s Song), to the more nuanced thoughts she developed as she got older and started getting into her own relationships. Prioritizing her developing career and putting marriage temporarily behind her other dreams (midnight rain), entering into manipulative relationships where her dreams of marriage and children were first used against her (the manuscript), watching friends and family whose relationships she once thought so solid crumble (happiness), realizing it is far, far worse to be married to the wrong person than to not be married at all (high infidelity, ivy), thinking she's found that right person for her (paper rings, peace), developing a certain level of cynicism about marriage both when it became a sticking point in the relationship and because of the way society has always treated her, from a being a young woman constantly criticized for dating (nothing new) to growing older and existing as a massively successfully but unmarried women in her thirties (champagne problems, lavender haze), and nevertheless holding fast to her dreams! ending a relationship because her wants did not align with his (you're losing me, so long london), falling backwards into relationships where her dreams were used against her (ttpd), reckoning with the realization that this massive, long-standing big dream for herself and her future might never become a reality, giving herself space to mourn that and STILL, after all that, not giving up. Still bravely looking for and asking for and hoping for what she wants instead of throwing in the towel (the prophecy) and ultimately starting again, with a reclamation of the whimsy she felt about romance as a teenager alongside the wisdom that has come from her own experiences (so high school). I MEAN!!!!! god. this is really good shit.